Where to travel in June
Don a floral crown for springtime festivities in Sweden or look out for the flame-red fur of orangutans collecting fruit on Borneo's forest floor — there's all this and more to explore in the month of June. Wildlife lovers should make for Pembrokeshire in June for ample birdwatching opportunities. Photograph by Michael Roberts, Getty Images • 8 min read This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
June is the month of plenty. While some parts of the world are braced against hurricanes, monsoons and heat waves, the Northern Hemisphere is in its prime. The southern Med is ripe for striking out on a Croatian sailing tour or crisscrossing the Cyclades, while the Baltic and Nordic countries welcome bright nights and midsummer celebrations.
The dry season starts in safari spots across the globe like Uganda, Tanzania, Borneo and the Peruvian Amazon, making June an ideal time to view the Serengeti's Great Migration or orangutans swinging through Sabah rainforests.
The comfortable temperatures also afford opportunities for lovers of the great outdoors, including hiking the mountainous Inca Trail or trekking through North America's national parks for big-sky adventures. In Yosemite, waterfalls are booming and paths push through carpets of wildflowers. 1. Nashville, Tennessee
Music City hits a high note this month. Its chock-a-block calendar of music festivals includes the annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. 'Bonnaroo' is Creole slang for 'good stuff' and there's heaps of it: over 150 performances, as well as comedy, cinema, interactive art installations, food trucks, yoga and even sustainability workshops. It sprawls across a 700-acre farm on the city's outskirts, a short shuttle ride from the centre.
While in the South, take a deep dive into country music at the annual four-day CMA Fest in downtown Nashville. Musicians like Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood perform free to help raise funds for the Country Music Association Foundation's music education programmes.
There's plenty more to sing about, too, with tons of free music in June. Make Music Nashville takes tunes to the streets, sidewalks, breweries, parks and even the airport with local artists each solstice (21 June), while concert series Musicians Corner hits the stage at Centennial Park each weekend in May and the first two weekends in June. Inspired by London's Speakers' Corner, this Nashville version was created as both a musical landmark and community gathering space, drawing artists such as Emmylou Harris, Chris Stapleton and Vince Gill. Nashville hits a high note this month, with a chock-a-block calendar of music festivals. Photograph by Nina Dietzel, Getty Images 2. Sweden
Daylight stretches into night north of the Arctic Circle this month due to the Earth's axial tilt. In Swedish Lapland, the sun lingers low on the horizon from June until mid-July, painting the evening sky an ethereal gold. Night owls can try the Swedish Tourist Association's midnight sun hike in Abisko National Park, which takes trekkers up Nuolja mountain in a chairlift before a climb to the summit, where forests, mountains and an alpine lake glow beyond.
While you're wide-eyed, experience the merriment of Sweden's midsummer parties. As the fields burst with wildflowers, revellers rush to their sommarstuga (summer cottage) for the national holiday at the end of June. There's maypole dancing, flower garland stringing, garden games and a feast of new potatoes, pickled herring and plump strawberries.
Dalarna, peppered with green forests and red cottages, is a great spot for traditional celebrations. If you can't bag an invite, don your floral crown for a three-day festival at Stockholm's open-air Skansen museum. Head to Sweden in June for midsummer festivities. Photograph by Johner Images, Getty Images 3. Cusco, Peru
This ancient city in the lofty Peruvian Andes becomes a stage for Inti Raymi, a 500-year-old tradition dating back to the days of the Inca Empire. The Festival of the Sun culminates in a celebration of the benevolent Inca sun god on the winter solstice, marking the beginning of longer days ahead. It involves a procession from Qoricancha that passes through the main square and ends at the ruined Inca citadel of Sacsayhuamán. Salute the sun with a faux llama sacrifice, folk dancing and traditional Peruvian bands.
Investigate more Inca heritage on a four-day trek to the 15th-century citadel Machu Picchu, whose legendary ruins dot a rugged mountain slope. June is in the dry season in the Peruvian Highlands, meaning ideal conditions to strike out on the sun-soaked Inca Trail. Cusco becomes a stage for Inti Raymi in June: a 500-year-old tradition dating back to the days of the Inca Empire. Photograph by Christian Declercq, Getty Images 4. Malaysian Borneo
Swing into the Sabah rainforests for sightings of the increasingly rare orangutan. These rust-red primates are found only in the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Borneo — the latter shared by Indonesia and Malaysia.Borneo is one of the few dry spots in Southeast Asia this month, basking amid warm and humid days. It's also fruiting season, which coaxes the arboreal apes down from the canopy to feast on the forest floor. Keep your eyes peeled as you head along Sabah's Kinabatangan River and through the lush Danum Valley.
Slow things down on remote Selingan Island, where turtle-hatching season is starting. A pinprick off the northeast Bornean coast, it's one of three islands that form Turtle Islands National Park, a conservation sanctuary for green and hawksbill turtles since 1977. Only 50 visitor permits per day are issued for Selingan Island, where visitors are highly suggested to stay the night — no bad thing, because as darkness falls, turtles slink ashore to lay eggs in the velvety sand. Guests can also help release turtle hatchlings into the sea. 5. Pembrokeshire, Wales
The island off the Pembrokeshire coast is a wildlife haven, hosting around half the world's population of manx shearwaters, plus guillemots, razorbills and great cormorants. From April to September, boats slip between Martin's Haven, on the mainland, and Skomer, but this month is when Atlantic puffin numbers are at their peak. They migrate en masse, waddling along cliff tops pocketed with pink thrift and red sea campion or soaring towards burrows with broad, multicoloured bills bursting with sand eels. Skomer's offshore rocks and sheltered bays are also visited by dolphins, harbour porpoises and curious grey seals.
For more of the wild west, lace up your hiking boots for the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, a trail tracing 186 miles of coastline, passing soaring, heather-dotted cliffs, sandy coves and salt-licked towns. Flora and fauna are on display this month, with some stretches of the path plied by wild ponies. Adrenaline junkies can try coasteering, a sport invented by surfers in the county in which the foreshore is a playground: ride swells, hop across rocks, explore caves and jump off craggy cliffs. To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only). SEASONS
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National Geographic
14 hours ago
- National Geographic
How to experience 6 of Europe's most musical cities
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). While many cities can lay claim to being hubs of musical creativity, only a few become truly synonymous with a certain sound. After all, Vienna will always waltz to the tune of Strauss and few can imagine Seville without the passion of flamenco. In some cases, a city is its music. And, like that of a gifted composer, the European repertoire is vast. Whether for pop or classical, folk or techno, travellers will find no shortage of cities to immerse themselves in Europe's great soundtrack. There are hands-on workshops, interactive museums that chart the story of a genre, and nightly shows at age-old venues — perhaps the closest thing to seeing a city's soul. Whatever your taste, here are six of the best in which to plan a tuneful escape of your own. The Museo del Baile Flamenco houses costumes, art and interactive exhibits, which chart the history of the genre, with shows in the courtyard or cellar events space. Photograph by Getty Images, Miguel Sotomayor 1. Flamenco in Seville Seville's heart beats with flamenco. The stirring trinity of song, dance and music has its roots in the city's Gitano communities and has become an emblem of both Seville and Spain; such is its cultural value that it was added to the UNESCO Intangible World Cultural Heritage list in 2010. Tablaos are the place to experience the dance. Packed each night of the week, these venues can range from the casual La Carbonería, where locals come for tapas and a show, to more venerable institutions such as Peña Flamenca Torres Macarena, a stage and cultural hub for new and established performers, or El Arenal, where punters can enjoy a full-course dinner with a show. But the street is perhaps the most authentic stage of all. An outdoor performance might stir into life on the grand Plaza de España; on a tree-shaded patio in the Barrio de Santa Cruz, or in Triana, the buzzy, working class district said to be the birthplace of flamenco. The area is home to the Teatro Flamenco, a bijou theatre that holds nightly performances, as well as the workshop of teacher and guide Eva Izquierdo, who runs hour-long flamenco classes for budding bailadores (dancers). For an edifying experience, the Museo del Baile Flamenco houses costumes, art and interactive exhibits, which chart the history of the genre, with shows in the courtyard or cellar events space. Date for the diary: The annual Feria de Sevilla is a lavish celebration of Andalucian culture with parades, traditional dress, sherry and plenty of flamenco. 20-26 April 2026. Listen to: A Tu Vera by Lola Flores. More than just watering holes, Galway's atmospheric pubs have a proud tradition of hosting and championing Irish folk (or Irish trad) musicians. The Crane Bar heads up any list of must-visit venues, with both floors of this lively Victorian haunt host packed-out sessions each night of the week. Photograph by Getty Images, Thomas Winz 2. Irish folk in Galway The rousing sound of a fiddle is never far away on Ireland's west coast. Huddled against the Atlantic, Galway is a bastion of traditional culture, where poets, artists and musicians have long found a place to hone their craft in the city's bustling bars and salty-aired granite streets. More than just watering holes, Galway's atmospheric pubs have a proud tradition of hosting and championing Irish folk (or Irish trad) musicians. The Crane Bar heads up any list of must-visit venues: both floors of this lively Victorian haunt host packed-out sessions each night of the week, while Monroe's Tavern focuses on Irish-language music, and often throws dancing and poetry nights, too. With its charming web of streets festooned with flags and hanging baskets, the Latin Quarter is not to be missed. It's the beating heart of the folk music scene: buskers can be heard on street corners, covering classic ballads or trying out their own original tunes, while the pubs here make a fine place to while away an evening with a whiskey or two. Tigh Neachtain has been trading since 1894 and has platformed several well-known Irish folk artists, including acclaimed accordionist Sharon Shannon. Over at the charming Tig Choili, twice-daily live music sessions come courtesy of local and visiting musicians alike. Date for the diary: Now in its fourth year, the Galway Folk Festival promises a spirited programme of live music sessions across the city. 4-8 June. Listen to: My Irish Molly O by De Danann. Stockholm has been a powerhouse of European pop and now, fans can dig into the city's hit-making heritage at the Swedish Museum of Performing Arts, which explores the history and future of music, theatre and dance. Photograph by Getty Images, Kavalenkava Volha 3. Pop in Stockholm Ace of Base, Roxette, The Cardigans, Robyn and, of course, ABBA… Sweden's musical exports reads like a festival headline bill. For decades, Stockholm has been a powerhouse of European pop and now, fans can dig into the city's hit-making heritage at the Swedish Museum of Performing Arts, which explores the history and future of music, theatre and dance. The Avicii Experience tells the story of the late, chart-topping DJ with a collection of unreleased music and virtual-reality karaoke, while the club Trädgården sees revellers dance beneath Skanstullsbron bridge. 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When it comes to live music, the Vienna State Opera shines as one of the world's most opulent music venues, while the Golden Hall at the Musikverein is home to the Vienna Mozart Orchestra. Mozart's legacy lives on in performances at the Orangery at Schönbrunn Palace, the space where he premiered The Impresario in 1786. The House of Strauss, meanwhile, is the world's only remaining concert hall where all four Strausses performed. Not everything takes place in palatial surrounds though. Intimate piano recitals are held at the Mozarthaus, where the composer lived, while the Annakirche is a baroque jewel of a church that hosts affordable concerts. Date for the diary: 2025 is the bicentenary of Johann Strauss's birth. A special concert by the Vienna Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony Orchestra and violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter will mark the big day on 25 October. Listen to: The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss II. The French capital is peppered with old-school jazz clubs, and few are as hallowed as Le Caveau de la Huchette, on the Left Bank. Photograph by Getty Images, Shironosov 5. Jazz in Paris When American troops were stationed in Paris during the First World War, they brought with them the improvised rhythms of jazz. In the years that followed, this sound took Paris's music halls by storm and has become entwined with the city's soundscape. The French capital is peppered with old-school jazz clubs, and few are as hallowed as Le Caveau de la Huchette, on the Left Bank. The building dates to the 16th century and has staged countless stars of swing in its time, including Sidney Bechet and Lionel Hampton. On the Right Bank, life on the Rue des Lombards saunters to the sound of jazz, for it's home to three of the city's finest bars: crowds squeeze into the Duc des Lombards, Sunset/Sunside and Le Basier Salé for late-night jam sessions. But, if one figure epitomises the French jazz era, it's Josephine Baker who turned heads in 1926 when she performed at the Folies Bergère wearing a banana skirt. The legendary music hall remains an art deco icon of Paris's musical heritage. Date for the dairy: Jazz festivals include Jazz à La Villette, held in the Parc de la Villette. August/September 2025, dates TBC. Listen to: Black Trombone by Serge Gainsbourg. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the underground electronic music scene offered West and East Berliners a way to come together. Photograph by Getty Images, Mahiruysal 6. Electronic in Berlin If German reunification had a sound, it would be one of wavy synths and drum machines. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the underground electronic music scene offered West and East Berliners a way to come together. Since then, the city has become the pounding heart of European electronica. Venues have popped up in disused landmarks across the city, harking to the 1990s when students began squatting in abandoned buildings. A fine example is Tresor, which began in the cellar of a former department store in 1991. Now housed in a decommissioned power plant, its killer sound system draws fans from across the world. Kater Blau — a former soap factory — is a popular, open-air summer spot beside the River Spree, while ://about blank takes a political approach to techno, offering 'hedonistic, insurrectionalist dialectic'. Top of any list, however, is Berghain, the cathedral-like club where (almost) anything goes. Top-quality sound and performances aside, the mysterious entry policy is all part of the appeal and has revellers queuing for hours. Date for the diary: Rave the Planet Parade mixes rave culture with political demonstration. 12 July. Listen to: Autobahn by Kraftwerk. Published in the European Cities Collection 2025 by National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
National Geographic
18 hours ago
- National Geographic
Where to drink in Jerez, the birthplace of Spanish sherry
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New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
German town offers free 2-week stay to lure people to relocate there
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